Nozzle height adjustment arrangement for suction cleaners



G. R. COSS NOZZLE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT ARRANGEIBNT Oct. 18, 1949.

FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed Aug. 2, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. aaf e )7, (5:5, BY I I {rm/mu;

Oct. 18, 1949. G. R. coss 2,485,363 NOZZLE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT AHRANGEIENT FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed Aug. 2, 1944 4 Sheets-Shut 2 i' i; g

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G. R. C055 NOZZLE HEIGHT ADJUSTIENT ARRANGEIBNT -Oct. 18, 1949.

FOR SUCTION.CLBANBRS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug 2,. 1944 F l l/ III I III INVENTOR.

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NOZZLE HEIGHT ADJ USTMENT ARRANGEMENT FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed Aug. 2, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

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Patented 18, 1949 NOZZLE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT ARRANGE- MENT FOR SUCTION CLEANERS George R. Coss. Detroit, Mich assignor to Eureka Williams Corporation, a corporation of Michigan Application August 2, 1944, Serial No. 547,695 8 Claims. (Cl. 15-358) This invention relates to suction cleaners of the floor type and has particular reference to a new'and efllcient means for automatically positioning the floor nozzle of the cleaner with respect to the surface covering on which it is to operate.

Principal objects of the v t n re t provide:

A new and improved suction cleaner;

In a suction cleaner a new and improved means for automatically positioning the nozzle thereof with respect to the surface covering to be cleaned;

A suction cleaner having automatic nozzle adjusting means which are adapted to properly position the nozzle with respect to the surface covering to be cleaned irrespective of the characteristics thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which there are four sheets and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a cleaner embodying the invention; ,3

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side eievational view the automatic nozzle height positioning means with the handle of the cleaner arranged in a parked or vertical position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 3 with certain of theparts thereof omitted or broken away for the sake of clarity;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the staggered line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of part of the nozzle height adjusting mechanism with part of the handle socket broken away;

' Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the cleaner 4 illustrating the position of the wheels and nozzle when the handle is in its operating position;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of the invention with the cleaner positioned on a. hard floor and with the handle arranged in its parked position;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but illustrating the relative position of the parts when the cleaner is arranged on a deep nap rug;

Fig. 10-15 a view'showing the nozzle height adjusting mechanism when the handle is in its operating position; and

Fig. 11 is a horizontal sectional. view taken along the line iil lof Fig. 8.

Referringnow to Fig. 1, a cleaner embodying the invention comprises a bodyor casing mounted on front wheels 20 and rear wheels 22.

2 cleaner includes a floor nozzle 24 which is presented toward the floor and spaced slightly therefrom when the cleaner is positioned on a hard floor with the handle of the cleaner in its parked position. The cleaner further includes a suction creating means (not shown) which is connected with the floor nozzle so as to induce a flow of The dirt-laden air into the nozzle and into a suitable dirt collecting bag or receptacle which generally is associated with the discharge outlet 26.

During operation of the suction creating means the surface covering to be cleaned will be drawn up to the lips of the nmzle so as to be sealed thereto and in order to permit an agitator operatively arranged in the nozzle to beat and/or sweep that part of the surface covering which is suspended against the nozzle lips.

A handle 28 is provided for maneuvering the cleaner over the surface covering to be cleaned, and this handle is pivoted to the cleaner by means of a pin 30 which is journaled in bearing provided on a bracket 32,.such bracket being suitably afllxed to the body or casingof the cleaner. In Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 the handle, a fragment only of which is shown, is illustrated in its vertical or parked position, while in Figs. 6 and 7 the handle is illustrated in its operating position carried by the bracket 32 is provided for counterbalancing the weight of the handle. In addition suitable handle positioning means, such as that disclosed in my Patent No. 2,397,537, may be provided to determine the extent of the range of the various positions of the handle, and in addition a handle lock as disclosed in such patent may be provided for locking the handle in its vertical position so as to enable the cleaner to be picked up conveniently by means of the handle. These last two items, however, form no part of the present invention and hence a specific disclosure thereof is not considered necessary to a comprehension of the construction and operation of the present invention. v

The rear wheels 22 are mounted on trunnions 40 which in turn are eccentrically mounted relative to the axis of the axle 42. The axle 42 is rotatably mounted in bearings 44 formed by coiling the ends of leaf springs 46. The other ends of leaf springs 46 are secured to bosses 48 depending from the cleaner body. The leaf springs 46 are adapted to support the rear of the cleaner body resiliently for vertical movement relative to the axle 42 when the handle is in its parked position, the springs 46 being of such a resilient nature that when the cleaner is positioned on a hard floor, as illustrated in Fig. l, the springs 46 will push the rear of the cleaner body upwardly and away from the rear wheels 22 and thereby rotate the cleaner body about the axis of the front wheels 20 until the nozzle 24 is moved closely adjacent the floor. When the cleaner is set on a surface covering such as a rug, the weight of the cleaner will cause the Wheels 20 and 22 thereof to sink into the nap of the carpet, the amount of sinkage being dependent upon the nature of the carpet. The springs 46 in pushing the rear of the cleaner body upwardly away from the rear wheels 22, push the nozzle 24 downwardly, and if the cleaner is resting on a carpet the nozzle 24 will come to rest against the nap of the carpet.

The tread of the front wheels 20 may be materially greater than that of the rear wheels'22 so that such front wheels under the load of the cleaner to which they are subjected will tend to ride the top of the nap of the carpet rather than to sink to the bottom thereof. Actually, however, the front wheels 20 will sink into the nap a certain amount, depending upon the load to which they are subjected.

Upon a carpet, with the handle in its vertical position, the cleaner will arrive at a state of equilibrium with both the front and rear wheels 20 and 22 resting on the carpet and with the nozzle 24 resting against the nap of the carpet.

- When the handle 28 is in its vertical postion the rear of the cleaner is free to move vertically with respect to the rear wheels and will do so, the springs 46 being constructed so as to bias the wheels 22 away from the cleaner.

While the axle 42 is rotatable in the bearings 46, this rotation is provided for manual adjustment purposes only and suitable means are provided for determining the position of the axle 42 relative to the bearings 44 so that the trunnions 40 will be either in their lowermost position as illustrated, or in one or more higher positions. For further details of this feature see the application of Paul T. Hahn Ser. No. 514,855, filed Dec. 18, 1943, for Nozzle adjustment for suction cleaners, now Patent Number 2,396,846.

This is brought about by rotating the axle 42 about its axis so as to shift the trunnions 40 vertically. This adjustment is provided to take care of unusually heavy carpets.

The axle 42 has a link 50 connected thereto so as to move therewith. This link 50 extends upwardly and at its upper end is provided with a notched 0r toothed member 52 which is vertically slidable within a guide 54 provided by a part of the bracket 32. It will be obvious that the position of the toothed member 52 will be deter mined by the position of the rear wheels 22 relative to the body of the cleaner, which in turn -is determined by the nature of the surface or surface covering on which the cleaner is arranged.

The toothed member 52 comprises a series of teeth having notches therebetween, and is arranged for cooperation with a tooth 56. The tooth 56 may comprise a turned-in edge of a segment 58 of one side of the handle ball 60. When the handle is in its vertical position the toothed member 56 is, as illustrated in Fig. 2, out of engagement with the toothed member 52 so that the latter is free to move vertically relative to the rear of the cleaner body. The toothed member 56 is so arranged, however, that when the handle is moved (Fig. 2) clockwise towards its operating position, the toothed member 56 will engage one of the notches in the toothed member 52. The toothed member 56, as illustrated, is formed on a curve which is eccentric with respect to the pivotal axis of the handle 28 so that continued clockwise movement of the handle 28 will cause the handle 28 and the rear end of the cleaner to which it is pivoted to be pulled downwardly toward the axle 42 thereby elevating the nozzle 24. The amount that such action depresses the rear end of the cleaner is calculated to properly position the nozzle 24 of the cleaner relative to the surface covering when the handle is in its operating position as illustrated in Figs. 6 and '7.

The toothed member 56 may be continuously eccentrically curved so that further clockwise movement of the handle 28 will depress the rear end of the cleaner further thereby elevating the nozzle still further so as to compensate for the shifting of the handle load between the rear and front wheels due to the change in its position. Or the toothed member 56 may be formed so that alter the handle 28 reaches a position approximately like that illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, no further adjustment of the nozzle will occur. Or any other desired shape of the toothed member 56 may be employed to obtain any desired positioning or adjusting of the nozzle in any particular position of the handle. It will be apparent that as the handle is restored to its vertical position, the toothed members 52 and 56 will be disengaged thereby leaving the rear wheels 22 free to seek their proper position relative to the body of the cleaner and depending upon the type of surface covering upon which it may be arranged.

In order to keep the toothed members 52 and 56 in engagement a roller 64 may be journaled in a bracket 66 and arranged so as to maintain the toothed members 52 and 56 in engagement. Stops I0 and 12 may be provided on the link for cooperation with a stop I4 on the cleaner body so as to limit the extent of movement of the rear wheels 22 relative to the body of the cleaner.

In the modification disclosed in Figs. 8 to 11 the operation is the same as that previously described but the construction is somewhat different. In this modification the link I50 which is connected to the axle 42 to move therewith has its upper end arranged in the form of a yoke having arms I52 and I54, the arm I54 being in a plane offset from that of the arm I52. The arm I52 is provided with teeth and forms a rack the teeth of which are cooperable with the teeth of a gear I56 which is fixed for rotation to one end of the pin I30 which provides a means by which the socket I32 of the handle I28 is pivoted on the bracket I33.

The gear I56 is eccentrically mounted on the pin or shaft I30. A cam I60 is also secured to the shaft I30, the cam surface I62 of which cam member is cooperable with the edge I64 of the arm I54 for shifting the upper end of the link so as to engage the teeth of the rack I52 with the teeth of the gear I56 when the handle is moved from its parked position in which it is illustrated in Fig. 8 to the operating range in which it is illustrated in Fig. 10.

With the parts in the position as illustrated in Fig. 8, the machine is resting on a hard floor and the rear end I20 of the cleaner is free to move vertically relative to the rear wheels 22. Fig. 8

shows the parts in the same position as the parts of the previous modification are illustrated in Fig. 1 and under the same conditions.

Fig. 9 illustrates the parts on a deep nap carpet, and in this position the front and rear wheels would be so arranged relative to the body of the cleaner as to position the nozzle 24 thereof in contact with the surface of the nap. Upon moving the handle I28 in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. the cam member I60 cooperating with the arm I54 will cause the teeth of the gear I58 and the rack I52 to engage. This engagement may take place after the handle I28 is moved ten or fifteen degrees counterclockwise from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 9.

Further movement of the handle in such direction to its operating range will depress the rear end of the cleaner sufflciently so as to elevate the nozzle a certain amount above the posltion of the nozzle when the handle is arranged as illustrated in Fig. 9. The amount the nozzle is raised should be sufficient so as to properly position the nozzle with respect to the carpet on which it is operated.

The gear I55 is so positioned on the end of the pin or shaft I30 so that at the time the handle reaches its normal operating position the nozzle 24 is substantially properly positioned with respect to the carpet being cleaned and so that further continued movement of the handle in a counterclockwise direction will produce substantially less corresponding movement of the nozzle than that caused by moving the handle from its vertical position to the position illustrated in Fig. 10. Of course as the handle moves counterclockwise from the position illustrated in Fig. 10, the front wheels of the cleaner are subjected to more of the handle thrust so that the additional compensation of the nozzle obtained by movement in a counterclockwise direction from the position illustrated in Fig. 10 tends to compensate for the increased handle load on the frontfront wheels mounted on the cleaner rearwardly of said nozzle, a handle pivoted to said cleaner, rear wheels for said cleaner and mounted thereon so as to be relatively movable vertically with respect thereto, spring means associated with said rear wheels and operative for biasing the rear of said cleaner upwardly so as to pivot the cleaner about said front wheels thereby to depress said nozzle into contact with the surface covering to be cleaned upon which said cleaner may be arranged, a breakable connection between said rear wheels and said handle including a link movable with said rear wheels and having teeth and a rotary member movable with the handle in its pivoting movement and rotatable about the pivotal axis of said handle on the cleaner. said rotary member having an eccentric part which is engageable with said teeth but is disengaged therefrom when said handle is in a vertical position, said rotary member being engageable with one of said teeth upon movement of said handle out of its vertical position and wheels. Reverse movement of the handle to its vertical or parked position will restore the parts to the position as illustrated in Fig. 9.

If in cleaning the machine is moved from one carpet to another, in order to properly position the nozzle with respect to the carpet, the handle should be returned to its parked position so as to permit the spring mounted rear wheels to properly position the wheels and nozzle so that the automatic adjustment will take place when the handle is again restored to its operating position.

In this modification, as in the previous one, a handle lock may be employed for locking the handle in its vertical position. A counterbalance spring I34 is also provided in this modification.

A spring connected to the link I and to the body of the cleaner constrains the teeth of the gear I out of engagement with the rack I52 when the handle is in its vertical position in order that the body of the cleaner may properly position itself with respect to the wheels on the particular carpet on which it is placed.

While the invention has been described with some detail, it is to be understood that the description is for the purpose of illustration only and is not' definitive of the limits of the inventive idea. The right is reserved to make such changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will fall within the purview of the attached claims.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner having a floor nozzle,

permit said cleaner to be maneuvered over a surface covering to be cleaned, rear wheels for said cleaner, spring means for-mounting said rear wheels on said cleaner so that the rear end of said cleaner is relatively movable vertically with respect to such rear wheels, said spring means being operative for biasing the rear of said cleaner upwardly so as to pivot the cleaner about said front wheels thereby to depress said nozzle into contact with said surface covering to be cleaned, a breakable connection between said rear wheels and said handle including a link movable with said rear wheels and having teeth and a rotary member movable and rotatable with said handle in its pivoting movement and rotatable about-the pivotal axis of said handle on the cleaner, said rotary member having a part which is engageable with said teeth but is disengaged therefrom when said handle is in its vertical position, said rotary member being engageable with one of said teeth upon movement of said handle out of its vertical position and operable through said link for moving the rear of said cleaner downwardly thereby to elevate said nozzle above said surface covering.

3. In a suction cleaner having a floor nozzle, front wheels mounted on the cleaner rearwardly of said nozzle, rear wheels for said cleaner, a handle having a socket at its lower end pivoted to said cleaner above said rear wheels and in such a manner that said handle is movable rearwardly ing a link movable with said rear wheels relative to the rear end of said cleaner and having teeth and a rotary cam member mounted on said handle socket and movable with the handle socket in its pivoting movement, said rotary cam member being engageable with said teeth but disengaged therefrom when said handle is in its vertical position, said rotary cam member being engageable with one of said teeth upon movement of said handle out of its vertical position and operable through said link for moving the rear of said cleaner downwardly thereby to elevate said nozzle above said surface covering.

4. In a suction cleaner having a floor nozzle, front Wheels mounted on the cleaner rearwardly of said nozzle and projecting below the plane of said nozzle, rear wheels for said cleaner, a handle having a socket at its lower end pivoted to said cleaner above said rear wheels and in such a manner that said handle is movable rearwardly from avertical position to an operating position to permit said cleaner to be maneuvered over a surface covering to be cleaned, spring means for mounting said rear wheels on said cleaner so that the rear end of said cleaner is relatively movable vertically with respect to such rear wheels, said spring means being operative for biasing the rear of said cleaner upwardly so as to pivot the cleaner about said front wheels thereby to depress said nozzle into contact with the surface covering to be cleaned, a breakable connection between said rear wheels and said handle including a link movable with said rear wheels relative to the rear end of said cleaner and having teeth and a gear mounted on said handle socket and movable with the handle socket in its pivoting movement, said gear being engageable with said teeth but disengaged therefrom when said handle is in its vertical position, said gear being engageable with said teeth upon movement of said handle but of its vertical position and operable through said link for moving the rear of said cleaner downwardly thereby to elevate said nozzle above said surface covering.

5. A suction cleaner having a floor nozzle, front supporting wheels mounted on the cleaner rearwardly of said nozzle, rear wheels for said cleaner and mounted thereon so as to be relatively movable vertically with respect thereto, a handle having a fixed pivotal mounting on said cleaner and so that said handle is movable rearwardly from a vertical position to an operating position, forming an angle of approximately with the surface covering on which the cleaner is resting to permit said cleaner to be propelled by means of said handle over said surface covering, means reacting between said rear wheels and the cleaner and operative for urging said nozzle into contact with said surface covering when said handle is in its vertical position, and a cam connected to and operative by said handle upon movement thereof rearwardly to said operating position, to engage and react against a part connected with said rear wheels so as to depress the rear end of said cleaner thereby to elevate said nozzle above said surface covering to be cleaned, said handle being pivotally related to said cleaner so that when said handle is in said operating position, the line along which the force is exerted on the cleaner by the handle in propelling the cleaner forwardly falls between the axes of said front and rear wheels, said cam and part being interengageable in different relative positions thereof, dependent upon the spacing of said rear wheels and the rear end of said cleaner when the nozzle is engaged with said surface covering, so as to elevate the nozzle above its position of engagement with said surface covering a predetermined amount upon a predetermined extent of rearward pivotal movement of said handle from its vertical position.

6. In a suction cleaner having a floor nozzle, front wheels mounted on the cleaner rearwardly of and in fixed relation with said nozzle, rear wheels for said cleaner and mounted thereon so as to be relatively movable vertically with respect thereto, means urging said rear Wheels downwardly away from the cleaner, a handle pivotally connected to said cleaner in such a manner as to be movable rearwardly from a vertical position to an operating position, forming an angle of approximately 45 with the surface covering on which the cleaner is resting to permit said cleaner to be propelled by means of said handle over said surface covering, a breakable adjustable connection between said rear wheels and said handle including a link movable with said rear wheels and a rotary member movable with the handle in its pivoting movement and rotatableabout the pivotal axis of said handle on the cleaner, said rotary member and link having interengageable means operable for moving said link upon rotation of said rotary member but disengaged when said handle is in said vertical position, said cleaner being mounted relative to said wheels so that said floor nozzle contacts and is positioned by the surface covering to be cleaned when said handle is in said vertical position, said means of said rotary member and link being interengageable and operable, upon movement of said handle out of its vertical position, to move said link for moving the rear of said cleaner downwardly thereby to elevate said nozzle above said surface covering, said handle being pivotally related to said cleaner so that when said handle is in said operating position, theline along which the force is exerted on the cleaner by the handle in propelling the cleaner forwardly falls between the axes of said front and rear wheels, said means of said link and rotary member being interengageable in different relative positions thereof, dependent upon the spacing of said rear wheels and the rear end of said cleaner when the nozzle is engaged with said surface covering, so as to elevate the nozzle above its position of engagement with said surface covering a predetermined amount upon a predetermined extent of rearward pivotal movement of said handle from its vertical position.

7. In a suction cleaner having a floor nozzle, front wheels mounted on the cleaner rearwardly of and in fixed relation with said nozzle, rear wheels for said cleaner and mounted thereon so as to be relatively movable vertically with respect thereto, means urging said rear wheels downwardly away from the cleaner, a handle pivotally connected to said cleaner above said rear wheels and in such a manner as to be movable rearwardly from a vertical position to an operating position forming an angle of approximately 45 with the surface covering on which the cleaner is resting to permit said cleaner to be propelled by means of said handle over said surface covering, a breakable adjustable connection between said rear wheels and said handle including a link movable with said rear wheels and a rotary member movable with the handle in its pivoting movement and rotatable about the pivotal axis of said handle on the cleaner, said rotary member and link having means engageable and operable for moving said link upon and during rotation of said rotary member but disengaged when said 9 handle is in said vertical position, said cleaner being mounted relative to said wheels so that said floor nozzle contacts and is positioned by the surface covering to be cleaned when said handle is in said vertical position, said means of said rotary member and link being engageable and operable upon movement of said handle out of its vertical position and rearward movement therebeyond to move said link concomitantly with said handle movement for moving the rear of said cleaner downwardly thereby to elevate said nozzle above said surface covering as said handle moves rearwardly, said means of said link and rotary member being interengageable in diiferent relative positions thereof, dependent upon the spacing of said rear wheels-and the rear end of said cleaner when the nozzle is engaged with said surface covering, so as to elevate the nozzle above its position of engagement with said surface covering a predetermined amount upon a predetermined extent of rearward pivotal movement of said handle from its vertical position.

8. A suction cleaner having a floor nozzle, front supporting wheels mounted on the cleaner rearwardly of and in fixed relation with said nozzle, rear wheels for said cleaner, a handle pivoted to said cleaner directly above said rear wheels and in such a manner so as to be pivotable rearwardly from a vertical position to an operating position to permit said cleaner to be maneuvered over a surface covering to be cleaned, spring means for mounting said rear wheels on said cleaner so that the rear end of said cleaner is relatively movable vertically with respect to such wheels to an extent which will permit the nozzle to engage the surface covering on which such wheels are supported, said spring means being operative for urging said nozzle into contact with said surface covering when said handle is in its vertical position, and a breakable adjustable connection of said cleaner thereby to elevate said nozzle above said surface covering to be cleaned, said breakable connection including a toothed member movable with said rear wheels upon movement thereof relative to the rear end of said cleaner and a rotary member movable and rotatable with said handle, said members being disengaged by said handle upon movement thereof to its vertical position and being engaged and actuated by said rearward movement of said handle so as to adjust said connection to effect movement of the rear wheels upwardly relative to the body, said members being interengageable in different relative positions thereof, dependent upon the spacing of said rear wheels and the rear end of said cleaner when the nozzle is engaged with said surface covering, so as to elevate the nozzle above its position of engagement with said surface covering a predetermined amount upon a predetermined extent of rearward pivotal movement of said handle from its vertical position.

GEORGE R. COSS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

